First Meetings
by CharmedSecondsSnippets
Summary: Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table are nestled around a table and drinking their fills with ale. Somehow, during the recant of Gwaine's travels through the lands and his failures of bedding women, the Knights stumbled upon the loving tale of how their two Kings first met all those years ago and the certain innuendos that were spouted so early in the relationship.


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**First Meetings**

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The tavern was full of boisterous laughter and mugs full of ale. The Knights of the Round Table was spread out within the establishment, mugs in hands and armor discarded for more comfortable clothing. They lounged comfortably and chatted, sharing stories of heroic deeds and drunken disasters. Gwaine, a good-hearted fellow that seemingly loved ale more than life, was finishing up his tale about a bar lady a few duchies over that warmed his heart but apparently refused to warm his bed.

"...and she slapped me!"

"You probably deserved it, my friend." Leon said, a smirk on his face as he tipped his mug towards the frowning man.

"It was a simple request though!" Gwaine argued.

"Bedding someone like that isn't a simple request, Gwaine," Merlin, wrapped tightly in the arms of Arthur, said with an eye roll, "You probably have a horde of bastard children roaming around all of Albion that way you dance around."

"Being a bastard seemingly worked well for you," Gwaine said, winking suggestively.

Merlin shook his head before taking a swig of ale from a mug. Beside Gwaine, Percival, the dubbed Gentle Giant of the group, wracked his shoulder into Gwaine's arm, a harsh glare following the action when Gwaine threatened to speak once more. "New story." Leon said, "This time not about Gwaine failing with the ladies."

"You're just jealous."

"Why would I be when I have a woman waiting at home for me," Leon said, smirking from behind his mug.

"He has a point there, Gwaine." Merlin peeped up, "Gwen is a lovely lady who I know you failed with as well."

"I'm being ganged up by the married men." Gwaine shook his head in faux despair, "Soon Arthur will start preaching the wonders of being shot in the knee."

Arthur shrugged, "Have yet to find a down side to it," he said, pressing his lips to the back of Merlin's neck with fondness, "Helps when the one you wish to bed is already in it waiting for you."

"Arthur!"

"Just saying,"

"Doesn't mean you say it out loud," Merlin muttered.

Gwaine laughed, "So Leon, how did these two fall in love right before your eyes? Fast and hard. Or slow and nausea-inducing."

Leon raised an eyebrow, "I remember some...words being exchanged at their first meeting."

"You mean the one where Arthur practically attempted to bash my head in?"

"No, the one where I took you to jail." Arthur said, "When you saved Morris."

"You were throwing spears at him! Of course I was going to save him." Merlin argued.

"He was fine, he had a target on his back."

"It's wood. It's not going to stop everything, you prat! Eventually it's going to break and you're going to end up impaling some poor servant!"

Arthur smirked, "I can think of another servant I wish to impale." Arthur whispered.

Merlin rolled his eyes, shoving Arthur back a bit, "Damn prat. I'm being serious."

"Yes, yes, I know." Arthur leaned back in his chair, mug of ale in one hand, his other wrapped around Merlin's waist, "Big prat, bad Prince Arthur."

"I remember, sire, you asking if Merlin could walk on his knees."

"I didn't mean it like that." Arthur defended once the band of Knights began to laugh.

"I don't know Arthur, it sure sounded like that." Gwaine gruffed, "Of course, who wouldn't want to have Merlin in that position."

Merlin huffed, "We couldn't even bare each other, let alone do that."

"Not even seven days within the walls and you already captured the Prince's heart. Rather endearing when you think about it."

Arthur snorted, "He didn't capture my heart"

"Apparently you rather he capture your cock in his mouth."

"Gwaine!"

Gwaine smiled and shrugged. Merlin let out a deep breath and leaned back in Arthur's hold. "Our next meeting wasn't much better though."

"You cheated."

"You were trying to take my head off with a mace!"

"You tried to take your Consort's head with a mace?"

Arthur frowned at Percival, "I didn't know he was going to be my Consort when I attacked him. He was mainly just an annoying gnat that refused to go away."

"Gnat? Really?" Deadpanned Merlin, his blue eyes sliding over towards Arthur.

"You kept buzzing around and wouldn't leave."

"I was doing chores for Gaius!" Merlin snapped.

Arthur rolled his eyes, "I know that now, idiot. Calm down."

Merlin huffed, his arms crossed over his chest, "Prat."

Arthur smiled, "I remember you saying something very...interesting during our meeting."

"You were the one that started it."

"How does it par to the "walking on your knee" comment?" Gwaine inquired with a lecherous smirk.

Merlin chuckled, "Arthur said he could take me apart with one blow."

"And Merlin responded that he could take me apart with less than that." Arthur shook his head.

Merlin shrugged, "Proved true later on."

"Poor Arthur have a weak restraint once his precious bird get's a cawing?" Gwaine coughed out in a laugh.

Arthur groaned, leaning to rest his forehead on Merlin's quivering shoulder. "Merlin."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."


End file.
